A publicity campaign entitled "I love smoke-free Hong Kong" to
promote public awareness of the new smoking law will be carried out
throughout the year, an official of the Department of Health said
on Thursday.
The Deputy Director of Health, Ting-hung Leung, said that during
the campaign, the Tobacco Control Office of the department would
adopt a multi-pronged approach to publicize the new measures.
"Through the campaign, we hope to raise public awareness of the
extension of the statutory smoking ban, to enhance self-discipline
and compliance in statutory no-smoking areas and to create a
harmonious environment for the implementation of the new
legislation," he said.
The new law approved by the Legislative Council last Thursday
aims to further protect the public from the harmful effect of
second-hand smoking. Most indoor areas of workplaces and public
places, such as restaurants, offices, markets, karaokes and bars
which are frequented by people of different ages are required to
ban smoking from Jan. 1, 2007.
Six types of "qualified establishments" - nightclubs, commercial
bathhouses, massage establishments, mahjong parlors, designated
mahjong rooms in clubs and certain bars - may implement the smoking
ban by July 1, 2009.
Publicity activities include Announcements in Public Interest,
advertisements in the media, roving exhibitions, and distribution
of pamphlets. About 800 restaurant workers will wear Smoke-Free
Ambassador badges and help to distribute pamphlets.
Workshops and seminars on the new no-smoking requirements will
be organized for management and staff of various sectors, such as
catering and tourism industries, hotel and building management.
A series of open days will be held from Sunday, with at least
200 restaurants participating that have until now permitted
smoking. So far, just 800 restaurants out of 10,000 to 12,000 are
smoke-free. Open days will be held on Nov. 29 and Dec. 29,
hopefully with more restaurants taking part. The participating
restaurants will display posters and no-smoking signs to remind
clients of No Smoking Day.
Christine Wong Wang, senior medical and health officer of the
department's Tobacco Control Office, said she would be recruiting
80 to 100 more inspectors to enforce the smoking ban, to supplement
the existing 30 officers.
"They have the power to seize evidence and to initiate
prosecutions. Smoking offenses only take about a few minutes so we
cannot be there right away. So we will rely on the cooperation of
smokers and front-line managers," Wang said.
Meanwhile, a survey of smokers and ex-smokers found out that
more than half of the smokers said they would be more determined to
give up because of the anti-smoking law.
The campaign will continue throughout the year with more
intensified efforts before the new statutory requirements become
effective on Jan. 1 next year.
(Xinhua News Agency October 27, 2006)